


Strange Familiarity

by Oakwyrm



Category: Thrilling Intent (Web Series)
Genre: Flower Crowns, Gen, Odd Duos, tiweek
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-05
Updated: 2017-12-05
Packaged: 2019-02-08 21:21:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,899
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12873273
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Oakwyrm/pseuds/Oakwyrm
Summary: Zalvetta didn't expect to end up babysitting in the middle of the night. But of course curious Death God children seldom really care about what other people expect.





	Strange Familiarity

Zalvetta picked idly at one of his arm guards as he stared out over the ocean. He wondered how the Shadow Guild was doing without him. Though realistically if he couldn't take a short vacation to visit Gregor without the guild falling to pieces in his absence then he had failed as a guild master and it would be better to let it crumble and rebuild from the ground up. Still, it would be a pity to have to resort to that. He'd worked hard on that guild.

Far above him, the moon cast her silvery reflection on the sea, creating a shining pathway that stretched across the water. It was beautiful, Zalvetta had to admit. For a brief moment, he wondered if he should go wake Gregor but the thought faded. Doubtless, Gregor had seen the moon's reflection on the sea often enough by now.

A slight rustle in the grass behind him stopped his thoughts in their tracks. He didn't move, purposefully feigning ignorance as he assessed the situation. The grass rustled again and he let himself be cautiously optimistic. Whatever it was trying to sneak up on him it wasn't big. Not that that really counted for much on an island chain filled with spirit folk.

The hairs on the back of his neck stood up as he felt something akin to a weapon approaching him and in a snap decision he gave up his feigned ignorance. He spun around, grabbing a cautious hold of the staff that had, just seconds ago, been trying to poke him. The staff's wielder looked alarmed. Zalvetta let go as soon as he recognized the white, vaguely avian mask.

Charoth tilted his head, staring up at Zalvetta with those large, empty eyes that shouldn't have looked cute but somehow pulled it off anyway. Zalvetta sat back down and returned Charoth's stare.

“Uh. Hi... there...” Zalvetta said, trying to figure out why Charoth would actively seek him out. Ashe still didn't really trust him, shouldn't that spread to her... whatever he was. Her son? It should, Zalvetta thought. By all logic, it definitely should.

Charoth, however, had other ideas. As soon as Zalvetta spoke he darted forwards. Zalvetta blinked down at him as he raised his arms. It took a few seconds for Zalvetta to realise he was asking to be lifted.

Slightly awkwardly he reached out and picked Charoth up, holding him at arm's length. They stared at each other for a moment before Charoth poked Zalvetta's arm curiously. Slowly Zalvetta settled Charoth down on his knee, still trying to figure out what he was supposed to do in this situation.

He frowned, trying to think back. Had he ever actually interacted with such a young child before? He didn't think so. Not even when he himself had been a young child.

Charoth interrupted his train of thought by poking his cheek. Zalvetta wasn't quite sure how he knew, but Charoth had the look about him of someone who was trying to unravel a mystery. Zalvetta wasn't entirely sure if he was ok with that.

“What do you want?” he asked, frowning down at Charoth, who continued to poke him. Charoth tilted his head to the side again. It was a distinctly bird-like gesture, now that Zalvetta paid attention to it.

- _I know you?_ \- He signed, a little hesitantly as if that wasn't quite the expression he was looking for. Zalvetta blinked.

“You mean I'm familiar?” he asked. Charoth nodded. Zalvetta laughed slightly. “I'm pretty sure I've never met you before. I'd remember.” He had a better guess as to what might be the cause of this feeling of familiarity, but it wasn't really something he wanted to consider for a prolonged period of time, especially not late at night.

Charoth nodded slowly, but he wasn't sure he agreed. Something about the new stranger seemed too familiar for there to be nothing there. If he squinted he could almost see something curling and twisting around him, like a fog, clinging to him and hard to shake off. His mother had warned him not to go near the newcomer but Charoth felt this needed to be sorted out.

It had been clearer in daylight, the something that twisted around the newcomer. There were other things that were familiar too, like Kyl'il or Dont, but they felt weird. In the wrong place. The fog felt like family. Not family like his mother or the old man before. Family like... different. Charoth huffed in annoyance. The newcomer raised an eyebrow, he seemed amused. Gregor had called him Zal... Zal-something. Zalvet.

“You'll figure it out?” He sounded unsure of his words. Charoth nodded, hopping off his knee and running back into the grass. Small, pale white flower shone under to moonlight, standing out from the sea of green. Charoth reached down and gently plucked one out of the ground.

Zalvetta frowned in Charoth's general direction, a sudden realisation hitting him. “Hey, uh, Charoth?” he called. Charoth stopped and turned to look at him questioningly. “Be- be careful I guess? I'm pretty sure Ashe would actually try to kill me if you got hurt on my watch.” Charoth blinked but nodded to acknowledge he'd heard and understood before continuing to pick flowers. Zalvetta laid down in the grass to stare up at the night sky above him. He let his thoughts drift as he listened to the soft wind in the grass and the sound of small running footsteps.

Charoth looked down at the bouquet of small white flowers. He looked back towards Zalvetta, trying to judge if he had enough. He decided after a moment that he did and headed back, sitting down beside Zalvetta. As carefully as he could he began to weave them together, trying to remember what his mom had taught him.

Zalvetta sat up, watching in silence as Charoth wove a flower crown. It wasn't the best flower crown he'd ever seen, but it had a charm to its imperfections. Exactly the sort of thing you'd expect a child to make. It took him a while, but eventually, he tied in the last flower and was left looking with pride at the slightly crooked crown in his hands.

Zalvetta smiled and was about to lay back down when Charoth turned to him, holding the crown out. He frowned, momentarily confused as to what he meant. Charoth shoved the crown in his direction slightly.

Understanding his meaning now, Zalvetta reached out to take it, but Charoth pulled back, shaking his head.

- _You have to let me crown you._ \- he insisted, putting the crown down for a moment to sign. Zalvetta couldn't help but laugh slightly.

“Are those the rules?” he asked. Charoth nodded emphatically. Zalvetta sighed softly and lowered his head to where Charoth could easily reach him. Charoth got to his feet, reaching up slightly and placing the flower crown carefully on his head. He took a few steps back and tilted his head to the side, inspecting his handy work.

Zalvetta sat back up, glancing upwards even though he knew he wouldn't be able to see it. “Uh. Thanks.” He looked back down at Charoth. How that blank white mask could give off the impression that the wearer was beaming, Zalvetta didn't know, but it did. That made a curiously protective feeling prod at his heart.

Along with that feeling, a sudden thought struck him. He glanced up at the moon. “Isn't it past your bedtime?” he asked, looking back down at Charoth. “...Do you even have a bedtime?” Charoth stopped in his tracks, suddenly giving off an aura very reminiscent of a child caught with their hand in the cookie jar. Zalvetta got to his feet with a sigh. “Ok come on. You need sleep.”

- _You're not sleeping._ \- Charoth signed.

“Yeah but I'm older than- Actually am I older than you?” he stared down at Charoth for a moment. Charoth stared back up at him. “Doesn't matter either way you're a kid and I'm a terrible role model.” Charoth looked somewhat sullen but let himself be picked up without much further protest.

Zalvetta bit his lip as he looked around, wondering where to go next. The fact that he had no idea where Charoth usually slept had suddenly become very apparent. Charoth, catching on to this, pointed in the direction of the forest. Zalvetta winced.

“Ah... yeah... ok. I'll take you half the way there,” he said. Charoth tilted his head to the side in a questioning manner.

- _Why?_ -

“Because I don't think Ashe would like me knowing where she lives.” His tone was blunt, perhaps a little too harshly so, but Charoth just nodded, seeming to accept that he knew what he was talking about. Maybe Ashe had talked to him about Zalvetta after all. Honestly this time he kind of agreed with her. He would be a terrible influence on the kid.

Charoth cuddled up against Zalvetta as he began to move towards the forest. The strange fog that surrounded him wrapped itself around Charoth in a kind of warm blanket. Somewhere in the back of his mind, young as he was, he got the feeling it would not feel as reassuring to any others who might be able to sense it. Still, it felt secure enough to Charoth so he saw no further need to question it tonight, even though he absolutely wasn't tired. There was no way he was.

Charoth yawned. It was an odd thing, nothing like a human yawn, but Zalvetta was fairly sure it was still a yawn. Zalvetta smiled slightly, adjusting his grip on Charoth a bit.

“You've gotta stay awake long enough to get yourself home, you know,” he said. Charoth gently hit his head against Zalvetta's shoulder in protest and Zalvetta paused his steps. If Charoth truly couldn't stay awake long enough to safely get himself back to Ashe's place that meant a change in plan. Markus might put him up for the night. Or he could go to Kyl'il. Markus was closer, though.

His train of thought was interrupted by a slight rustle in the bushes behind him. One he could with fair certainty say wasn't a natural nightly forest noise. His grip on Charoth tightened and he spun around quickly, only to come face to face with a familiar pair of glowing eyes. Zalvetta had to admit that amid the shadows of the trees, glaring at him with a fair amount of suspicion, Ashe did qualify for menacing.

“It's past his bedtime,” she said, stepping out onto the moonlit path.

“I kinda figured,” he said. Charoth perked up in his arms at the sound of Ashe's voice. Zalvetta carefully adjusted his hold again, handing him over gently to Ashe. She gave him a suspicious look, eyes lingering for a moment on the flower crown, but apparently, he passed the test. She relaxed somewhat, though Zalvetta could tell it was reluctantly.

“Thanks for looking after him.” Her tone was reluctant. Zalvetta nodded.

“He's a good kid,” he said.

“Yeah. Yeah, he is.” Ashe looked down at Charoth, who seemed to have fallen fast asleep.

“Well. Goodnight.” Zalvetta took a few steps backwards, trying not to seem too awkward. Ashe nodded sharply but didn't reply. Even that was enough for Zalvetta, though. He turned on his heel and vanished off the path into the shadows of the forest.

**Author's Note:**

> Zalvetta's got that permanent death fog.


End file.
